A revolving “lazy susan” perfect for an appetizer cheese platter… I couldn’t resist when I spotted it at a weekend bazaar for an incredibly reasonable sounding PHP450 or roughly USD10. Made of thin, tempered glass it has small rubber “feet” that steady the base on your table, and you can spin it around. Back at home, I tested it on the coffee table and realized it must be an “overrun” or a “reject” as the glass didn’t seem to be revolving in a perfectly symmetrical fashion… but I bet most guests would never even notice this. A Dansk design, I was happy to pay USD10 for it. It was the perfect setting for a lighter presentation of five cheeses as pica-pica one evening during the holidays.

Ginger (derived from Gingerbread), our chocolate labrador, was amused that it could spin about, and if she didn’t possess such great self control I suspect she would have munched on a small wheel of cheese that night. Actually, she was even more interested in the bread and crackers served with the cheese. That night, five cheeses made it to the platter — an aged Manchego, a log of chevre, some camembert, a thin pungent slice of Morbier (a stand in for a blue cheese) and some reblochon. Most people suggest that a cheese platter have at least one cow’s milk, one sheep’s milk and one blue cheese as a starting point. I would personally throw in a triple cream if you can find it, and a nice hard cheese like parmiggiano reggiano or manchego.

The lab was smacking her lips, but for crackers, not cheese… If you are thinking of doing a cheese platter, you may want to check these previous posts here and here for some ideas… :)

COMMENTS:

Lava Bien
says:

Nice

Dec 27, 2011 | 6:15 am

ami
says:

I watch a lot of Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic channel and they had one episode wherein a dog being kept by firemen in a fire station was so out of control that it eats any food that it could get its paws on. What Cesar (the host) explained is that if your dog respects you as a pack leader, it wouldn’t dare touch any item that you claim as yours, food included.

Dec 27, 2011 | 8:12 am

Dragon (Melbourne)
says:

One thing I picked up from the French is appreciation of cheese.

Firstly, cheese for them is seasonal. Secondly, there are quite a few ways of presenting cheese. One of them as MM mentioned above. Another is just presenting cheese from sheep, or goat, or cow; or just soft cheeses from different areas. Thirdly, there are no rules ;-) – just enjoy with a good glass of wine and some fruits and good company…

Dec 27, 2011 | 10:05 am

arlene espiritu
says:

where did you get the glass lazy susan… I want one .. hehehe

Dec 27, 2011 | 11:23 am

Sleepless in Seattle
says:

My hubby and I are both cheese lovers,we frequently visit The Metropolitan Market here(Wa.states) for their wide variety of cheeses, i really like the cheese platter, I will check on line for one. Ginger sure is good looking lab.Our Turkish angora kitty love cheese, we set aside a little sampler for her:) Thank you for suggestion on presentation of cheese..and to Dragon love yours too esp. the third rule:):):)

Dec 27, 2011 | 12:26 pm

PITS, MANILA
says:

THIS IS GREAT, MM! LIFE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE CHEESE … AND WINE, OF COURSE!

Dec 27, 2011 | 4:30 pm

stinkee
says:

Ginger’s pic prompted me to come out from my usual lurking status.. So Cute with priceless matching expression from her:-) Happy New Year to all especially to MM and family. Thank you for enriching our knowledge thru your unselfish sharing. May we greet the coming year with positivity & hope. Btw advance Happy Wedding Anniversary to you and Mrs. MM..

In the slot of the parmiggiano reggiano, one could try a good aged cheddar too.

A merry Christmas to you and your family, and to the crew at Zubuchon!

Dec 27, 2011 | 6:06 pm

TheProtector96
says:

Cheese! A day without one is dry as a desert. Great pics, make me salivate like the lab…

Dec 27, 2011 | 6:19 pm

aji
says:

@ami- uh-oh, I guess my Labrador x Spitz mix doesn’t respect me that much. Although she doesn’t grab my food out right, she does put her paws on my leg as if to say “Hey, gimme some of that.”

Happy New Year MM and Family!

Dec 27, 2011 | 6:44 pm

Betchay
says:

I also saw this glass lazy susan at my sis-in law’s condo. Nice idea using it as a cheese platter. I think small appetizers will also look good on this.
And with your cute choco Lab…Ginger, I was reminded of the you tube video my son recently showed me of Mishka, the talking dog …..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXo3NFqkaRM&feature=related
Amazing isn’t it?

Dec 27, 2011 | 8:10 pm

marissewalangkaparis
says:

I love cheese…and dogs too…thank you MM for always looking for things or food of interest…and even a lazy susan. Happy New Year to the MM fans….

Sleepless….lazy susan also available at Bed Bath and Beyond for the same price …I think cheaper at BBB minus the e-bay shipping. There is BBB store in Seattle?

Dec 28, 2011 | 6:16 am

millet
says:

love that last pic! my bichon frise loves cheese, and can smell any kind of cheese from wherever she is!

Dec 28, 2011 | 8:52 am

Josephine
says:

I love you more and more MM. Tonight after the normal Christmas excess it was just ” cheese for dinner”. This being Paris it was a slab of Reblochon, a palet cendré, a ripe Comté and a ” bleu de Basque”. With good baguettes tradition and wine. But you have your chocolate lab and I am so missing mine. His name us Bull – Short for bullmarket because you can always live in hope – he is a stock exchange dog.

Dec 28, 2011 | 10:10 am

atbnorway
says:

My basset hound Ola loves cheese! Arrrrrrooooooooohhhhh!!!

Dec 28, 2011 | 11:25 am

Liz T.
says:

I have the same exact glass lazy susan MM! Got it from a local department store here at roughly the same price less than Php 500. I use it as cake turntable and cake server :)

Gejo…need contact number. Please send it to me using e-mail address…same like before.

Dec 28, 2011 | 12:20 pm

Sleepless in Seattle
says:

Betty Q..yes we have BBB here… Husband hold off the buy it now order , I was on the way to work, eBay price + shipping will cost 23.00.Betty.. you are awesome!! Thanks!! will look for one tomorrow at BB&B.

Dec 28, 2011 | 4:20 pm

thelma
says:

amadeus, my little yorkie terrier, loves cheese. i give
it to him when i train him to do some new tricks…

Dec 28, 2011 | 6:47 pm

Dodi
says:

Very nice indeed! But I can’t seem to find cheese knives here in Manila!

Sleepless…while you are out shopping at BBB, you know what else is worth looking into?…a flavour infusing pitcher…..put bruised lemongrass and mint in the tube to flavour lychee iced tea or pandan, ubod and artichoke all boiled in water and use the water to make tea or kumquat drink in the summer and the combinations of fruit/veg …endless!

Dec 29, 2011 | 3:33 am

Mila
says:

Happy New Year Ginger!
MM, I finally made gingerbread and it turned out well. A nice mix of spices, and the dough rolled out well enough (although I had to keep reflouring the rolling pin, is there a trick to it? I worry that I’m adding too much flour to the dough after each roll.).
There’s a goat truck that comes round my building, 4 goats in the back of a truck and their milk is freshly squeezed into bottles!!! I’m going to make me some goat cheese!

Dec 29, 2011 | 9:40 am

Sleepless in Seattle
says:

Betty Q..all the flavor that i love,which i can’t find even on “exotic” tea are non exist. can be possible!!..of course i will buy the FIP , I have to spend my gift cards fr. the holidays, i am a gadget crazy person :) BBB is a good place to spend them!!Thank you !!!you are such a lovely person..like MM always sharing your knowledge and expertise.

Dec 29, 2011 | 11:52 am

zoi
says:

Happy New Year! Hi MM, have you seen Dr. Belo’s tweet on her recent visit to Zubuchon at Mango Ave? She liked it a lot.

zoi, yup, she ate there yesterday mid-afternoon with mutual friends (no more fresh lechon) but seemed to enjoy it nevertheless… :)

Dec 30, 2011 | 7:11 am

Zoi
says:

My wife and i are so jealous! We are determined to pay your restaurant a visit when we go to the phils in april. We will accept a friend’s offer to bring us to cebu/bantayan island so we can eat at your restos! Cheers!

She’s beautiful, MM!!! :) And she has the cutest name. I came accross a dog lover who named his three labs Scallion, Fennel & Garlic. Mine was Lambchop and Meatroll. Haha, I guess food lovers can’t resist naming their dogs with food related monickers. Her tail has gone crazy-happy for the crackers in the pic too! cute!!